Safe Cities

Despite stories of violence dominating local headlines almost weekly, recent FBI data suggest that Illinois is the third-safest state in the country—especially in Chicago’s suburbs. Safehome.org analyzed information provided by law enforcement agencies and demographic trends correlating to crime, including population density, unemployment, education, and income in cities with more than 50,000 people.

According to the study, the safest city in the state is Wheaton, followed by Palatine and Hoffman Estates. Wheaton’s safety score of 90.43 lands in the top 5 percent in the country, due to its low citizen-to-officer ratio and a recent 17.8 percent drop in violent crime. For more data on your western suburb, visit safehome.org/safest-cities/il.